erasing dvd+rw??

[slide4417]

Sorry for the dumb-ass question, but how do you erase a RW dvd with a G4 running OSX?
Don't need what is on the disk, just need to make it blank again.
Thanks all!!

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I'm *guessing* it would be the same as a cd-rw, which I believe you'd have to do through Disk Utility. Put the disc in, run Disk Utility to reformat the disc and make it blank again. I don't have any dvd-rws, otherwise, I'd check and make sure for you.

 

[Texas04]

Either do what was suggested above or drag the files to the trash??

 

[RedTomato]

In my experience, dragging files to the trash off a CD-RW or a DVD-RW or a USB key (and emptying trash) will delete the file from the list of contents, but won't actually clear the filespace on the device.

To clear the space, you have to go to Disk Utility and reformat the whole thing.

Was a bit suprised by this, the Apple Help isn't very clear on this issue.

At one stage my USB key apparently had no space left on it even tho it had no files on it whatsoever. Not very helpful to the newbie

xoxo ..RedTomato..

 

[WildCowboy]

Apple isn't particularly prolix on the issue, but here is what they have to say.

 

[sushi]

Apple isn't particularly prolix on the issue, but here is what they have to say.

I note this comment:

"Some types of CD and DVD discs may become unusable after you erase them several times. Check the information that came with the disc to find out how many times you can erase it."

One reason I tend to use DVD-R and CD-Rs vice the re-writeable versions of those media. Plus DVD-R/CD-R media is much cheaper.